U.S. cycling ends Games with gold

BRANDS HATCH, England – The U.S. Paralympic Cycling Team ended its run at the London 2012 Paralympic Games in fitting fashion today, winning gold in the final event of the cycling program, the mixed H 1-4 team relay with a time of 30:07.

The team of Marianna “Muffy” Davis (Sun Valley, Idaho), Matthew Updike (Denver, Colo.) and Oscar Sanchez (Whittier, Calif.) narrowly edged out Italy who finished the 18 KM race with a time of 30:50. Switzerland finished third, but were not far behind, finishing in 30:58.

The win marks the fifth gold medal, and the 12th medal overall for the U.S. in road cycling events, tying them with Germany for the most by any country.

For Davis, the win caps a remarkable few days for the three-time Paralympian. Davis won two other road cycling gold medals (individual H 1-3 road race and H 1-2 time trial) earlier in the week.

For Sanchez, today’s win gave him his second medal of these Games, but his first gold. He finished third in the individual H 4 time trial earlier in the week. For Updike, who was participating in his second Games, the win gave him his first ever Paralympic medal.

As a team the U.S. collected 17 total cycling medals in London (12 road, five track), which marks the most ever for the United States at a Paralympics.